Sanjay Patel terms his Baroda Cricket Association suspension illegal

Former BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel terms his suspension from Baroda Cricket Association unfair; says decision was made without president Samarjitsinh Gaekwad's consent

Former Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Sanjay Patel has termed Baroda Cricket Association's (BCA) decision to suspend his membership 'illegal'.

Sanjay Patel

Patel was on Tuesday suspended from the BCA over alleged financial irregularities and abuse of power when he was the Joint Secretary of the association in 2013. The other Joint Secretary, Sachin Dalvi and then Treasurer Arun Gandhi were also suspended by the BCA during its Managing Committee meeting.

BCA president Samarjitsinh Gaekwad adjourned yesterday's meeting for not receiving a copy of the inquiry committee's report. The other five supporters of Gaekwad also left the meeting. However, the 16 out of 22 members present decided to continue the meeting with JT Patel, BCA vice-president, presiding.

"The decision that the BCA Managing Committee has taken is illegal because as per the constitution, the president has to pass any decision taken during the meeting. Without his consent, it cannot be termed approved.

In this case, the president adjourned the meeting, but the other members decided to continue with the meeting and took the decision after he had left," Patel told mid-day from Baroda.

According to BCA Joint Secretary Anshuman Gaekwad, Patel and the other two office-bearers incurred an expense of R88 lakh for renovation of the Moti bagh Stadium dressing room in 2013 without getting necessary permission and approvals.

Money matters..."They had the approval of only Rs 25 lakh, but they went ahead and spent R88 lakh without any approvals. The work was completed in October 2013. We gave them enough opportunities to explain their case, but they never turned up.

We formed an inquiry committee (headed by Anant Tendulkar) and based on that, the Managing Committee took this decision," said the former India coach, who also hinted that BCA might file a police complaint against the three ex-office-bearers.

Patel, however, defended himself. "I can assure you that there was no fraud committed. There was no payment that was unlawfully carried out. They have not even given me the inquiry committee report.

They (BCA) asked me to present my case in front of them, but at that time I was busy with the BCCI AGM. I told them I will come once it is over, but they did not accept it," Patel said.

Patel did not believe he is targeted for being a N Srinivasan aide. "I don't think that is the case. This is a ploy to keep me away from contesting the BCA elections," Patel concluded.